Happy 2nd Birthday, Caden Nathaniel!

I can hardly believe that my little guy is 2 already! It seems that it was not very long ago, when I gazed at him for the first time on a sunny May afternoon. How time flies!

Caden, this past year has been so delightful, getting to know who you are more and more! Once you got over all those owie teeth of your first year (my poor boy- that was a tough 7 months of straight teething, wasn't it?), you have really mellowed out and become just the sweetest little boy I could imagine having!

You have such affection for those that you love- constant kisses and hugs for Mommy, Daddy and Abbie, for the new baby, for your stuffed monkey and bird, for grandparents and cousins and for any child that spends much time around our house!

You've also surprised me with your wonderful, imaginative play at such a young age. You may not have all the words yet to tell us about it, but you certainly are creating some delicious meals, incredible towers, ferocious animals and loving your "babies" so well.

Speaking of words, here are a few that you say these days:

• bobble (bottle)
• peas (please)
• dye-dye (bye-bye)
• ee-ee (thank you- this has to be our favorite. Where on earth did you come up with ee-ee???)
• nani (monkey)
• dah-ji (doggie)
• droom (car, truck, motorcycle, tractor- anything with wheels and a motor, capable of sounding like "vroom")
• ssh (fish)
• Johnny (man- this is actually your uncle's name, but you use it for any man that you see!)
• nigh-nigh (all done, though you're starting to say simply "done" more often now)
• down (either up or down, depending on the context)
• Abi-dee (Abigail- you used to just say "Aaaa-bie!", but now you're stuck on trying out her full name)
• Gan-ma (Grandpa and/or Grandma)
• noos (shoes) and docks (socks)
• wa-oh (water)
• ba (bird, bread, book, bike, anything that starts with "b"!)
• potty (this means you would like to sit on the potty, for precisely 3.7 seconds, without doing anything in it, and then get down immediately 🙂
• daw (draw or color)
• owie (this means you need a kiss to make it all better, though we do draw the line when you point to your "owie bum")

I'm sure I could come up with more, but this helps to capture just a bit of how adorable you are these days! I wasn't sure if it would be quite as exciting the second time around, watching a little one learn things like crawling, walking, and talking. In fact, I've found it almost more exciting, because this time you have a big sister cheering you on and joining in to help teach and coach you, and it just adds to the fun!

You're an explorer and a climber, who loves being outside (and will often put on your shoes and jacket and try to drag me outside with you), and you don't seem to have much fear. You obviously take after your Daddy in that regard! Yet you're still so sensitive, creative, intuitive, thoughtful, purposeful… we so look forward to seeing these gifts that God has given you as they grow and develop.

Caden, we pray that as you enter your 3rd year of life, that God will continue to reveal Himself to you and make His gospel known to you, and that it may take root in your heart of hearts. May you come to love Him more and more, and become that "warrior" of the faith that your name declares you to be! When you were born, we selected this verse as an encouragement and admonition for you:

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to
which you were called when you made your good confession in the
presence of many witnesses.

           1 Tim 6:12

We love you, Caden Nathaniel! Happy 2nd Birthday!